ABINGDON Past papers are not issued but these notes and sample questions should be helpful June 2014The content of the pre-test examination The pre-test comprises four elements, all sat on the same day. There are two tests in English, one in mathematics and a reasoning test. Overall the tests are designed to measure a balance of achievement and potential, in that a certain amount of subject knowledge needs to be in place to be successful but equally the papers look to test a boy's ability to manipulate that knowledge in a flexible, reflective and creative manner, thus also assessing his level of skill and potential for growth in that subject. + The first English paper (45 minutes) tests boys’ reading skills by asking them to respond to two prose passages via multiple choice questions. Also in this paper are some questions testing English usage, looking at spelling, punctuation and grammar, as well as facility in manipulating words. + The second paper (30 minutes) asks for a composition, and assesses boys’ writing skills. Boys will have the option to write descriptive, narrative or discursive writing according to where they feel they are strongest. + The mathematics paper (50 minutes) will contain questions on such topics as fractions, decimals, averages, percentages, coordinates, syrnmetry, sequences, perimeters, areas, nets, currency and ratios, Metric units will be used throughout and calculators are not allowed. * The reasoning paper (3 sections, 42 minutes in total) tests verbal, numerical and pattern skills, and each test section is preceded by a set of 8 practice questions. The reasoning test is conducted on computers; the English and Maths exams are handwritten on paper (except for candidates with agreed access arrangements). Post exam After the exam, a number of candidates will be selected for interview. We usually interview many more boys than we have places for but it is the case that some boys will not be offered an interview on the strength of their examination performance. At the interviews candidates are welcome to bring examples of their work and/or achievements to provide talking points. Whilst waiting for their interviews, they also fill out an interests sheet and indicate to their interviewer areas that they'd like to discuss. We are looking for boys to demonstrate an energy and enthusiasm, especially for their extra-curricular life, though boys can also expect to be asked about school subjects.English 1 - English Usage and Comprehension This is a 45-minute paper consisting of a mixture of questions testing written accuracy, English usage and comprehension. Some of these are likely to be similar to the following examples: 1. The following sentence needs correct punctuation: In that case replied Tom we'll play the game again Circle the letter at the beginning of the correctly punctuated version. a. “In that case,” replied Tom, “we'll play the game again.” b. “In that case,” replied Tom. “We'll play the game again.” c. “In that case, replied Tom, we'll play the game again.” d. “In that case” replied Tom “we'll play the game again.” 2. Read the following sentence and circle the letter a, b or c from the choices below to show which word you think should fill the blank. The games were expensive. a. children’s b. childrens’ c. childrens 3. Read the following paragraph, which reads continuously down the page. One word has been left out of each line. Put a mark (like this /) where you think the word has been left cout and write the missing word in the numbered space on the right. The first one has been done for you as an example. It will help if you read each whole sentence before you decide on the missing words. For / child, the prospect of a new school seem altogether terrifying; the thought new uniforms, children and teachers likely to alarm. This is an experience everyone understand because everyone encountered new situations. There are many advantages as disadvantages when it comes facing new challenges, Some people say, instance, that children are challenged grow up to be self-confident. zOovonsens 4. Give TWO words of FIVE or more letters that can be made out of the letters in the word SUBJUNCTIVE. You can use a letter as often as it appears in the word and may use the letters in any order (e.g. cubes).11. 15. 22. 27. 5. Write the opposite of each of these words by adding the correct prefix (e.g. __ fair would become UNfair). a. __ advantage b. __ decent There will also be two passages to read, with some multiple-choice questions testing candidates’ understanding. An example of this kind of task is below: Read the following passage carefully and then answer all the questions about it. Choose the best answer in each case. The narrator (the ‘’ who tells the story) is walking home with two of her classmates: Cordelia and Grace. We walk home under the low thick sky that is grey and bulging with dampness. Moist soft flakes are falling out of it, piling up on roofs and branches, sliding off now and then to hit with a wet cottony thunk. There’s no wind and the sound is muffled by the snow. It isn’t cold. I undo the ties on my blue knitted wool hat, let it flap loose on my head. Cordelia takes off her mittens and scoops up snowballs, throwing them at trees, at telephone poles, at random. It’s one of her friendly days; she puts her arm through my arm, her other arm through Grace’s, and we march along the street, singing We don't stop for anybody. | sing this too. Together we hop and slide. Some of the euphoria | once felt in falling snow comes back to me; | want to open my mouth and let the snow fall into it. | allow myself to laugh, like the others, trying it out. My laughter is a performance, a grab at the ordinary. Cordelia throws herself backwards onto a blank front lawn, spreads her arms out in the snow, raises them above her head, draws them down to her sides, making a snow angel. The flakes fall onto her face, into her laughing mouth, melting, clinging to her eyebrows. She blinks, closing her eyes against the snow. For a moment she looks like someone | don't know, a stranger, shining with unknown, good possibilities. She opens her eyes and reaches up her hands, which are damp and reddened, and we both pull her upwards so she won't disturb the image she’s made. The snow angel has feathery wings and a tiny pin head. Where her hands stopped, down near her sides, are the imprints of her fingers, like little claws. We've forgotten the time, it's getting dark. We run along the street that leads to ‘the wooden footbridge. Even Grace runs, lumpily, calling ‘Wait up!" For once she is the one left behind.Questions: A “it’s one of her friendly days” (line 7) suggests a) Cordelia is a very friendly girl b) Cordelia has only ever been friendly once ) It’s unusual for Cordelia to be friendly ) Cordelia really likes the narrator. Answer. B Choose the best definition of the word ‘euphoria’ in the sentence “Some of the euphoria I once felt in falling snow comes back to me’ (line 11) a) Extreme delight b) Extreme hunger ©) Extreme cold d) Extreme forgetfulness Answer. C “My laughter is a performance” (line 13) suggests the narrator is: a) a good actress b) laughs a lot ©) goes to the theatre often ) is uncomfortable laughing with the others Answer. D “For a moment she [Cordelia] looks like someone | don't know, a stranger, shivering with unknown, good possibilities” (line 20) suggests that: a) Cordelia’s face is shining with the cold b) Cordelia is not usually very kind 0) The narrator has only just met Cordelia d) the narrator doesn’t know Cordelia very well Answer___ — The writer describes the imprints of Cordelia’s fingers in the snow as. ‘4ittle claws” (line 25) in order to: a) suggest Cordelia is delicate like a bird b) make the writing more interesting ©) show how cold the snow is d) suggest Cordelia isn’t like an angel in real life Answer.English 2 - Composition Candidates will be given 30 minutes in which to write a piece of continuous prose on one of a choice of topics. The topics give boys the opportunity to write narrative, discursive or descriptive writing as they wish. Examples of the kinds of tasks set are below. Boys do ONE of the tasks on offer only. 1. Do you think that team sports should be compulsory at school? Give your views and show that you have considered other points of view. 2. Describe in detail the sort of things that annoy you and explain why. 3. Write a story that begins or ends with the words: ‘It was the most awful mistake | had ever made.” The marking of this paper is split between Content and SPaG (spelling, punctuation and grammar). In simple terms, the most effective writing we see is where boys have evidently attempted to craft their language, their sentences and their paragraphs with the effect they intend to have on their audience very much at the forefront of their minds. Accurate writing, with at least some element of ‘spark’, where words (and even punctuation) have been chosen with a deliberate and effective purpose, tends to be well rewarded. As regards length, something relatively short but done well and thoughtfully will always win out over something long but carelessly constructed.Mathematics This is a 50-minute paper with approximately 50 questions. Some will be similar to the following examples. A list of likely topics is given on page 2 but we do not guarantee either that the list is exhaustive or that every topic listed will be tested. Boys following the national curriculum or at a school which has an eye to what the national curriculum tests, should not find any area of this exam unfamiliar to them. We do not deliberately set mathematical challenges that are likely to be outside of their skills experience. 1. Write down the largest four digit number you can make using the four numbers 5, 2, 9 and 6. 2. The following question refers to the flowchart below IN> x5 >+4 OUT a. If 12 is put into the flowchart, what number comes out? b. What number was put into the flowchart if 24 came out? 8. Draw on the letters their lines of symmetry (mirror lines) D x z= 4, Work out 3 -= 5. Write down the smallest of the following numbers. als 17 ate 6. The following question uses the fact that the exchange rate for pounds sterling and the US. dollar is 1 dollar = 55 pence. a. How many pounds could be exchanged for 20 dollars? b, How many dollars could be exchanged for £2207 7. The average daily water consumption of a person living in Abingdon is estimated at 200 litres. How much water is needed for the 32,000 people who live in Abingdon?Reasoning The reasoning paper (3 sections, 120 questions, 42 minutes in total) tests verbal, numerical and pattem skills, and each test section is preceded by a set of 8 practice questions. It consists of a number of multiple choice questions that test logical thought (a mixture of words, numbers and pictures). The test will be taken on a computer - thereby giving your son a taste ‘of Abingdon’s ICT provision at the same time. Examples of Verbal section: finger is to hand as toe is to arm heel foot body head nail Five of the following words form a series. Which of the words is not contained in the series? freezing foggy cold hot cool warm Examples of Numerical section: 13 10 7 4 ... what number comes next? 3.91065 1 2 6241 Add these four figures together and divide the result by the second figure 1 2 3 4 5 none ofthese Examples of Pictorial section: o © o @ ag cee Ste EL Hal. 6 # 4